CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Nehemiah 10
Chapter 10 of 13
Chapter Overview
What happens in Nehemiah 10
The leaders of Israel sign a written covenant to follow God's Law. This chapter lists the names of those who sealed the agreement and the specific promises the people made, including not intermarrying with foreigners, keeping the Sabbath, and supporting the temple.
Scripture
Nehemiah 10
Those Who Sealed the Agreement
Study note
The list of people who sealed the agreement begins with Nehemiah the governor, followed by priests, Levites, and leaders of the people. Sealing meant pressing a personal stamp into wet clay or wax on the document. This was the ancient way of signing a legal contract. The leaders represented all the people of Israel in making this promise to obey God.
1 Those who signed the deal were: Nehemiah the chief, son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah. Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,
2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
3 Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah, Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah,
4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
8 Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were all priests. Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.
9 The Levites who sealed were: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui from the Henadad family, and Kadmiel. And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel;
10 Their fellow Levites included: Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, And their brethren, Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah, Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah,
12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
13 Hodijah, Bani, and Beninu. Hodijah, Bani, Beninu.
14 The people's leaders included: Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani, The chief of the people; Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani,
15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
17 Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur, Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur,
18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai, Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai,
19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
21 Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua, Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua,
22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub, Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub,
24 Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek, Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek,
25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
26 Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan,
27 Malluch, Harim, and Baanah. Malluch, Harim, Baanah.
The People's Promises
Study note
The rest of the people joined their leaders in taking a serious oath. They made specific promises including not giving their children in marriage to non-Israelites, not buying goods on the Sabbath, letting the land rest every seventh year, paying a temple tax, providing wood for the altar, bringing the first portion of their crops and animals to God, and giving tithes to support the Levites. The chapter ends with the powerful promise: 'We will not neglect the house of our God.'
28 All the rest joined in too. Priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, and temple workers came. So did all who had set themselves apart from nearby peoples to live by God's Law. Their wives and older children took part too. And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding;
29 They stood with their leaders and took a serious oath. They called down a curse on themselves if they failed. They promised to follow God's Law given through Moses, God's servant. They vowed to carefully obey every command and rule from the Lord our God. They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;
30 They vowed not to let their daughters marry men from nearby peoples. They vowed not to let their sons marry those peoples' daughters. And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons:
31 If surrounding peoples came selling goods or grain on the Sabbath or any holy day, they promised not to buy from them. They also committed to letting the land rest every seventh year and forgiving all debts. And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.
32 They made a rule. Each person would give one-third of a shekel per year for the temple. Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;
33 This money paid for the sacred bread, the regular grain and burnt offerings, and the Sabbath offerings. It also covered the New Moon celebrations, the yearly festivals, the holy offerings, and the sin offerings to make things right with God. It paid for all the other work of God's temple too. For the shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.
34 The priests, Levites, and people drew lots. They set when each family would bring wood for the Lord's altar fire each year. The Law requires this. And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law:
35 They pledged to bring the first crops from their soil and the first fruit from every tree to the Lord's temple each year. And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the LORD:
36 They vowed to bring their firstborn sons to God's temple. They would bring firstborn cattle, herds, and flocks too. They would give them to the priests who serve there. The Law requires this. Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God:
37 They promised to bring the first part of their dough, their regular offerings, fruit from every tree, new wine, and olive oil to the priests at the temple storerooms. They would also give a tenth of their crops to the Levites. The Levites were the ones who collected these shares in all the farming towns. And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.
38 A priest descended from Aaron would accompany the Levites during tithe collection. The Levites would then deliver a tenth of what they collected to the storerooms of God's temple. And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house.
39 The people of Israel and the Levites were to bring their gifts of grain, wine, and oil to the storerooms. That is where the temple tools, serving priests, gatekeepers, and musicians were. They said, "We will never neglect God's temple." For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.
Key Themes
Themes in Nehemiah 10
Public commitment to covenant faithfulnessSpecific promises for specific areas of lifeAccountability through written agreementSupporting God's house and God's workers
Apply This Today
Living Nehemiah 10
The people did not make vague promises — they committed to specific practices: keeping the Sabbath, supporting the temple, and following God's commands in their family lives. Vague intentions rarely produce change. Make specific, concrete commitments in the areas where God is calling you to grow.
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